Community rallies behind McIntyre family after devastating barn fire

January 14, 2015 · 0 Comments

The expression, “It takes a village to raise a child”, is a well known phrase but as local Amaranth resident farmers discovered, it takes a lot more help to rebuild a farmer’s life following a devastating barn fire, and residents, friends and family and strangers alike are stepping up to help get the job done.
For Francine and David McIntyre, a farmer’s life is the best life style one could imagine and they wouldn’t trade it for the world. To value one aspect of your life so highly and to watch it burn away, to be taken away essentially, is devastating.
On November 19th, 2014, at 12:15 p.m., it was the McIntyre’s dog, a Jack Russell Terrier named ‘Mila’ who became the first hero of the story, alerting her family to the impending threat and it wasn’t until they rose from bed they realized, their barn, built in the 1800’s, was not only on fire, but the November winds had picked up and carried sparks close to the house.
“I immediately called 9-1-1 and went out to see what could be done and then firemen arrived and we knew we could not do anything,” an emotional Francine McIntyre said, remembering the tragedy.
“We were only able to save one horse. We couldn’t get to the others,” Dave McIntyre sadly added.
“And my God! Those firemen worked so hard, they were really heroes, ” Francine expressed the couple’s gratitude.
So strange to have a barn fire in the winter months compared to summer threats, but as surprising as it was, the devastation to the beef farmers and their livestock was beyond heart wrenching in description. The couple stood helplessly as 40 beef cattle (27 full grown and 13 calves) and two horses lost their lives unable to be saved.
Farmers nurture, tend, protect and grow, and some would argue it’s unnatural for a farmer to be forced to look on, during such a horrible experience – so contrary to their nature.
November 19th, 2014 is now the night forever seared in the memories of the McIntyre’s, the firefighters, their neighbours, their families and friends. A surprising and sad reality for the McIntyre’s was to understand that just over 50 per cent of their barn’s insurance went to disposal costs of $7,500. Having never experienced anything like this in their lives, knowing they could never have planned ahead for something like this, now feel, although it may seem expensive, more insurance is not always a bad idea.
The list of heroes in this story is vast. From Mila the family pet, to the McIntyre’s themselves able to save even one horse, to the fire fighters bravely battling fire, freezing weather conditions and brazen winds, enter now the aftermath.
From this horrific experience stealing a lifestyle that would have celebrated 50 years of beef farming as of March 2015, comes a real life, “the good stuff”, endeavour to help the McIntyre’s rebuild. Never asking for a nickel, the McIntyre’s quickly learned they are surrounded by family, friends, strangers, and farmers alike, who can easily imagine the struggle of starting over and are more than eager to help. Almost immediately, an online donation site was set up by a relative, where businesses donated, and the emotional help and support reported by the McIntyre’s is overwhelmingly wonderful and notably skilled Mennonite builders are scheduled for the rebuild.
A fund raising spaghetti dinner and silent auction will be held on January 24th, at the Amaranth Town Hall, 374028 6th Line, on the NW corner of 6th Line, starting at 6 p.m. – all funds raised will go to the rebuilding of the McIntyre’s barn.
Eager to include everyone, please note that a vegetarian sauce will be available. Tickets are available at Caravaggio’s IDA Drug Store, Laurel’s Champs Gas Bar, Melissa Cook, Danny and Don McIver, by contacting cookie_melissa@hotmail.com. In order to make donations online, go to www.indiegogo.com/projects/family-farm-barn-rebuild. where the countdown is on to reach their goal of $5000!
In her true nature of optimism, Francine McIntyre says she has learned a few things from this devastating experience. “A person can never be over insured, and without a barn, I’ve noticed a lot less straw making its way into the house!” McIntyre chuckled adding when asked what the future will hold, “The future? We’re farmers, of course we’ll rebuild!”
The other thing the McIntyre’s learned was just a reminder really. They live amongst the best of the best, farmers, in a field of their own. Special thanks of gratitude go to our littlest heroin, Mila, the Jack Russell Terrier who saved a community from an even far worse tragedy than what had occurred proving good things do happen to good people.

By Alex Sher